[Alex D]

[quote=Hollywood]

Originally Posted by "Alex D":8b7c0

Sad.

Offtopic: The Swiss Guards of the Vatican Defense Forces, do they carry a sidearm concealed in those dresses? Because the only think you can see is the long pike that is not that effective for real defense.

Oh yes, although I do not know for sure if the guard pictured would need a sidearm. There is enough security in Vatican city to stop a small invasion. The Swiss Guard are highly trained to kick your ass.[/quote:8b7c0]

I have no doubt about the training level of the Swiss Guards (ex-members of Swiss Armed Forces IIRC), but in matters of defense, Italy is the responsible for providing military defense in case of need ([url=http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2002/maps/vt-map.gif:8b7c0]map[/url:8b7c0],[url=http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2002/geos/vt.html:8b7c0]Fact Book[/url:8b7c0]).

The [url=http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Swiss+Guards+Corps+&btnG=Google+Sea rch&meta=:8b7c0]Swiss Guards Corps[/url:8b7c0] are just that, wall and gatekeeper guards and Pope's Protectors (nor the [url=http://www.cvni.net/radio/nsnl/nsnl30va.html:8b7c0]only ones[/url:8b7c0]), albeit [url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/swiss.htm:8b7c0]important job[/url:8b7c0]. I don't know if they have heavy weaponry in there besides some [url=http://www.florilegium.org/files/CULTURES/SwissGuard-msg.html:8b7c0]small weapons[/url:8b7c0]. It would be interesting to know thou.